Can you access Usenet on mobile devices? What’s the best Usenet mobile app? Your questions answered.
There are many reasons to access Usenet from your smartphone or tablet.
Did your friend recommend a new TV series that you’ve never heard of? Whip out your phone and add it to your download queue.
Bored working from home and want to stream that movie you downloaded last night? Pull it up on your tablet.
But wait, how exactly do you pull that off for Usenet newsgroups? If you’re wondering the same thing, this guide will show you.
[+] 'Mobile Usenet' contents (select to expand)
Four Ways to Access Mobile Usenet on Your Phone
1) Web-Based Usenet
With a web-based Usenet provider, you can search for, download, and even stream Usenet content right from either your phone’s browser or a dedicated mobile app. It’s like having a Usenet provider, indexer, and downloader, all in one.
That makes it the easiest and most versatile option for anyone who wants to access mobile Usenet from their phone or tablet.
- Our top pick here is Easynews (check out our full Easynews review for more details).
Plans start at just $9.98 per month, and they even offer a 14-day free trial. Sign up today and give it a try.
Note: Easynews supports two third-party browsers for Android: EZ Usenet and EasyBrowser.
2) Cloud Usenet
While many cloud downloaders focus on torrents, some also allow you to download files using Usenet NZBs.
Simply find the NZB you want, add it to the downloader, and wait for it to finish downloading to your cloud space. Then, you can either download it to your device or stream it from their server.
- Our top pick here is Premiumize (read our full guide on how to use Premiumize.me).
Premiumize is the best cloud Usenet provider we’ve tried, and they offer plans for as low as €5.75 per month. They also have a dedicated Android app.
3) Mobile Usenet Apps
There are a few handy mobile Usenet apps that can be great for either controlling or downloading Usenet content. That said, they’re not very versatile. In fact, we’ve split the top apps into control apps and download apps, since none of them will let you do both.
...But you still need a Usenet Provider
To use any of the mobile Usenet apps below, you’ll still need a good Usenet provider – and probably an indexer and NZB downloader too.
If you don’t already have one, we’d recommend Newshosting. It’s got great retention, tons of features, and they even offer a 14-day free trial.
USENET | BEST PRICE | MORE INFO | ||
1 |  | • Best quality Usenet | save 58% | |
2 |  | • Independent servers | save 27% | Try risk-free for 7 days |
3 |  | • High speed access | save 60% | Try risk-free for 14 days |
Mobile Usenet Apps for Controlling Your Usenet Downloads
nzb360 – Android – $7.49
This app gets rave reviews on both the app store and in Usenet communities, like r/usenet, and is compatible with most Usenet indexers, automation software, and even torrent clients. But it is not free.
LunaSea – iOS – Free
This pick gets nearly as many good reviews as nzb360, but it’s for iOS and isn’t compatible with as many programs. It’s free though.
Apps for Downloading Usenet Content to Your Device
PowerNZB – Android – Free
PowerNZB is a free, powerful Usenet downloader for Android devices, but you’ll have to download it straight from their site, not the Play Store.
Nzb Leech – Android – In=app purchases
from €0.79 to€35.99 (7-day trial available)
Nzb Leech is another popular app for downloading Usenet to mobile, and this one is in the app store.
NZBGet – Android – Free
This is just the app version of the popular NZB downloader, NZBGet. But it does the trick. You can grab it from Github.
4) Seedbox
Seedboxes are arguably the most powerful option on our list. They download files fast, have large storage capacities, and can be used to control, stream, or download your files.Combined with a media manager program like Plex, a seedbox can be like your own personal Netflix.
In addition to downloading torrent files (their main use), some seedboxes also support Usenet NZB.
However, seedboxes are also the most expensive and complicated option, by far. They require a decent amount of setup and multiple apps.
But if you want to give them a try, here are some great seedboxes, especially for beginners:
- RapidSeedbox - best choice for complete beginners with plans starting at $12 per month, with 24/7 live support, a VPN and a 14-day money-back guarantee
- Feral Hosting - decent choice with plans starting at £10 / mo, with 1TB storage unlimited traffic and a 7-day money-back guarantee
- Seedbox.io - another sound choice with plans starting at €5 / mo, with 300GB storage, European-based servers (The Netherlands and Romania), and a 14-day money back guarantee
Read our complete guide to Seedboxes for Beginners
Do You Want to Stream, Download or Control Your Mobile Usenet Files?
To help make your choice about how to use Usenet from your smartphone or tablet, you’ll need to figure out what it is you want to do: stream, download, or control. Find out the difference below.
Stream
What about those times where you want to stream Usenet movies, TV, or music through your device? There’s nothing like entertainment on the go. You can do that too, but you might need a slightly different set of tools than for controlling or downloading.
Want to stream Usenet content on your mobile device? Check these options out:
- Web-based Usenet provider
- Cloud Usenet
- Seedbox supporting Usenet
Download
If you don’t have a steady enough connection for streaming, it’s also possible to download Usenet NZBs straight to your mobile device. Well, it’s possible on Android, at least. If you’re using a non-jailbroken iPhone or iPad, you’ll have to stick with streaming – or transfer files from your computer.
Want to download Usenet files straight to your mobile device? There are a few ways to do it:
- Web-based Usenet provider
- Cloud Usenet
- Seedbox supporting Usenet
By the way, Easynews’ Big Gig plan also offers unlimited NNTP downloads, so it’s not like you have to choose between direct downloads and NNTP with a newsreader. With Easynews, you get both, all for one reasonable price.
Control
One of the most popular ways to access mobile Usenet is to use your phone to remotely control your home Usenet setup. You’ll be able to add NZBs, manage downloads, and more, whether you’re at the office, school, or just don’t want to get up from the couch.
Want to control Usenet remotely? You’ll want one of these:
- Mobile app
- Web-based Usenet provider
- Cloud Usenet
- Seedbox
Wrap Up
As you can see, there’s more than one way to access Usenet on your mobile. The best one for you will depend on what your needs are.
If you’ve already got a beastly Usenet setup at home, you may just need an app to control it with. Or maybe you want to go full media junkie with a decked out seedbox. For those in between, a web-based Usenet or cloud Usenet provider will work just fine.
Which mobile Usenet method will you pick?